ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · lie · land · tube · bay · kick · cabinet · press

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ball — a great time
  4. land — ground
  5. press — to push
  6. land — a country
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. lie — to recline
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. land — to come down
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. kick — in football
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tube — a container
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. tube — the underground
  24. press — a publisher

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com